Your Role as a Teacher
The role of teachers has expanded to a point that it will sometimes be difficult for you to grasp exactly what is expected of you. Today, education is the topic of many social and political debates. The problems that education faces are not clear-cut, and the answers to these problems are even less apparent. In this atmosphere of blame and reform, teachers often find themselves sinking instead of soaring. To keep your sanity, you must define the role you are going to have in education.
Teaching has become much more complicated over time. Teachers wear many hats:
Facilitator
Coach
Nurse
Knowledge specialist
Special-education expert
Surrogate parent
Record keeper
Guidance counselor
Technology expert
Social worker
The truth is that no one person can fulfill all of these roles. It is your job as a teacher to decide where to put your emphasis. Develop a clear vision of the role you want to play. This will give you the power to make a much greater impact and will also shield you from the pressures and stresses that affect many other teachers.
Choosing Your RolesSo how do you decide where to place your emphasis? One way to begin is to rank the roles in order of importance according to your beliefs. It is an interesting exercise to create a similar list according to how you believe your school would rank these roles. Compare the two lists. If you are feeling frustrated, it may be that your values are conflicting.
To be a successful and happy teacher, it is advisable to work in a setting that matches your values as closely as possible. However, it may not be possible to quit your position at a school where your values conflict. Just having a clearer picture of why you are experiencing difficulties in this kind of situation can help you find ways to cope.
Administrators, colleagues, parents, and students will pull you in many different directions. Have a strong foundation for what you believe your role should be, and you will be better armed to meet the challenges you face.
